Ukrainian Journalist Believed Abducted By Syrian Rebels

Authorities in Kyiv say a Ukrainian woman journalist has been kidnapped by rebels in war-torn Syria.

President Viktor Yanukovych said in a written statement that the woman, Ankhar Kochneva, was working for Russian television channels in Syria and has gone missing.

The president said he has ordered officials to investigate the case and defend the rights of the woman, who is said to be around 40 years old.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Dykusarov said efforts were under way to secure Kochneva’s release.

He said members of the Russian television crew she was working with said she had contacted them on October 12-13 and said she had been abducted October 9 by insurgents of the Free Syrian Army who are fighting to overthrow the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.